Such a method for cutting skin by using cutting means in order to form skin grafts is known from International patent application WO 84/02464. According to FIG. 3 of WO 84/02464 the skin to be cut into skin grafts is placed between a cutting frame and a baseplate, after which the skin is stretched on said baseplate by stretching means fitted with a stretching screw. The cutting operation is carried out by means of a knife which is pulled across the cutting frame. In order to improve the fixation of the skin to be cut pins are provided in the baseplate in regularly spaced-apart relationship, so that the skin cannot move during cutting. In addition to that a cutting foil is present under the skin to be cut, in order to prevent the knives from coming into direct contact with the baseplate. A special drawback of this method is that the pins project into the skin to be cut, which makes it impossible to achieve a 100% yield. In other words, it is not possible to convert 100% of the skin used as the starting material into skin grafts, since a certain amount of skin will be lost as a consequence of being pierced by the pins. Although other methods are mentioned for holding the, skin to be cut in position on the baseplate, for example by using an adhesive, the fixation of the skin to be cut by using a sub-atmospheric pressure or underpressure cannot be derived therefrom.
A method of this kind for forming skin grafts by cutting skin present on a carrier, using cutting means, is already known from the academic dissertation "De techniek van de behandeling van brandwonden" (the technique for treating burns) by R. P. Hermans, published by Stafleu's Wetenschappelijke Uitgeversmaatschappij N. V. of Leiden (see pp. 50-55). According to the said method it is also possible to cover defects caused by burns taking up more than 15-20% of the total surface area of a human body with auto transplants. Split-skin grafts that have been harvested by means of an electro dermatome in a manner which is normal to a person skilled in this field are placed on cork plates which have been immersed in a physiological saline solution. An apparatus known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,076,462, which was specially designed for this purpose, is used to cut said transplants into strips having a width of about 3 mm by means of rotating knives functioning as cutting means, whereby the knives cut through the skin but not through the cork plate, which merely functions as a base. Then the transplant-carrying cork plate is passed through the apparatus anew, but now turned through 90.degree., so that small squares of about 3.times.3 mm are formed. The skin grafts thus cut are adhered to gauze, which has been pre-folded in two directions in advance (pleat), by means of a special glue. After the glue has dried the folded gauze is stretched in two directions, as a result of which the skin grafts are spread. This has led to the situation wherein the small squares, viz. the cut skin grafts, are arranged in regularly spaced-apart (about 5 mm) relationship, with the cutting side facing upwards. Then the folded bandage is laid loosely on the excided area, provided with perforations for drainage, and subsequently fixed in position by means of gauze. In this manner an increase in area of about nine times the original dimension is obtained. One drawback of such a method is that after about one week the gauze is removed under an anaesthetic and can be replaced by donor skin. Another drawback is the fact that it takes a considerable amount of routine to be able to carry out such a method. After all, it frequently happens that the skin grafts are detached from the cork plate by the rotating knives and stick to the knives. This problem can be solved, however, by applying a small amount of paraffin to the knives, but this results in insufficient adherence of the skin grafts to the pre-folded gauze. In addition to that it is of paramount importance that the glue be allowed to dry sufficiently long before it is attempted to remove the cork plate from the gauze, as otherwise the skin will not properly adhere to the gauze. Because of the fact that the gauge cannot be removed until after about one week, the healing process, that is, the closing of the wound, will take a period of three to four weeks. In practice such a long healing period is undesirable.